Dental clasp



Dec.' 1, 1925. 1.564.164

R. V. WILLIAMS DENTAL CLASP Filed Sept. 2, 1922 Patented Dec. 1, 1925.

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Application filed September 2, 1192-2. Serial No; 585,581.

i movement of the denture or saddle to a limited extent, so as to relieve the clasp and the clasped tooth from undue strain.

Another object is to provide a readymade jointed clasp which is simple and inexpensive in construction and which requires little, if any, work on the'part of the dentist for fitting the case.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of a dental plate provided with the improved clasp. Figure 2 is an enlarged perspective view of the clasp. Figure 3 is a longitudinal section thereof. Figure 4 is a plan view of the blank from which the main portion of the clasp is formed. Figure 5 is a similar view of the anchoring spur or tongue.

Similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

The clasp comprises the customary band which is adapted to embrace a natural tooth. For molars and bicuspids, the clasp has the usual lug or occlnsal rest 11.

Formed integrally with the clap and located at its rear side is a loop or steeple 12 preferably formed by a tongue 13 extending from the lower edge of the clasp band and bent upwardly and inwardly upon itself, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. Loosely jointed or hinged to this loop is an anchoring spur 14 which is embedded in the dental plate or saddle 15; or if used in connection with bridge work, is soldered thereto. The attaching end of this anchoring spur in its preferred forni, is bent at an angle to its body and is provided with an opening 16 which loosely engages theloop 12. In the normal condition of the clasp, the inwardly-bent end portion 17 of the tongue 13 is preferably spaced from the opposing rear side of the clasp, as shown in Fig. 3, so as to leave the loop 12 open at its npperwend to receive the anchoring spar. After the dentist has applied the spur to the clasp, he may, if he so de-V sires, close :the open end of the loop by soldering' or otherwise.

The band 10 of the clasp, including the occlusal rest, if used, is formed in a single piece from a flat blank of sheet metal of the shape shown in Fig. 4, or approximately so. This blank comprises a slightly bowed or curved bar 10a adapted to form the curved band of the clasp; a tongue 11a projecting` from the concave edge of said bar and adapted to form the occlusal rest 11; and a projection 12a extending in the opposite direction from the convex edge of said bar, and forming the loop-tongue 13. This band and the anchoring spur 14 are stamped from any suitable metal or alloy, preferably an alloy of gold or platinum having the requisite stiness and elasticity to enable the clasp to retain its form and tightly grip a tooth, while possessing sufiicient strength and flexibility to permit the clasp to be repeatedly bent without breaking any of its parts, in refitting or adjusting the same.

This improved construction of the clasp band and the spur-attaching loop renders the device comparatively inexpensive and materially lessens the work required by the dentist in fitting cases.

I claim as my invention:

1. A jointed dental clasp, comprising` a band provided with an integral normallyopen loop extending vertically thereof and adapted to receive an anchoring spur.

2. A jointed ready-made dental clasp, comprising a band provided with a loop adapted to receive an anchoring spur, said loop consisting of a tongue formed integral with said band and extending upwardly .from the lower edge thereof, the upper end of said tongue being bent toward the band.

3. A jointed dental clasp comprising a band having a vertically-extending' loop, and an anchoring spur having` an opening loosely engaging said loop, the attaching end of said spur being bent at an angle to the body thereof.

4. A dental clasp comprising a. band and a tail-piece, said band having integral therewith tail-piece engaging means, said tailpiece having an end thereof at an angle to the plane of said tail-piece, said tail-piece llO having an opening therein through Which said tail-piece engaging means is adapted to be inserted and means to prevent the separation of the tail-piece and the hand.

5. A dental clasp comprising a band and a tail-piece, said band having tail-pieces engaging means thereon, Said means extending outward from said band and then upward substantially parallel with the plane of the banch Said tail-piece having an opening therein through which Said engaging means is adapted to he inserted to form a connection between Said hand and said tail-piece whereby vertical, lateral7 angular, and roeling movement between said band and said tail-piece are obtained and means to prevent the separation of the tail-piece and the band.

6. A dental clasp comprising a band and a tail-piece, said band having integral there- Wit-h a tail-piece engaging means, said tailpiece having an end thereof at substantially a right angle t0 the plane of said tail-piece, said tail-piece having an opening therein through which Said tail-piece engaging means is adapted to he inserted and means to prevent the separation of the tail-piece and the hand.

REGINALD V. WILLIAMS. 

